Frequently Asked Questions

Check the Code of Conduct and/or the Honor Code for the correct violation. Go to this link, and print out the proper form. Fill the form out, and submit it to the Office of Honor and Judicial Programs. Questions about the correct violation, forms, the disciplinary process, etc., can be answered by the Honor and Judicial Programs staff at extension 2490.

What is a "Respondent"/"Complainant"?

The "Respondent" is the student who has been charged with an alleged violation of the Honor or Conduct Codes.

The "Complainant" is the person who has filed a complaint charging a student with an alleged violation of the Honor or Conduct Codes. The Complainant may be a faculty member, staff member or student, and does not necessarily have to be directly involved in an incident.

Why am I being held responsible for something that happened off campus?

Longwood University and the Farmville/Prince Edward community have a long standing cooperative agreement to work together when there are conduct situations involving students off-campus. Students who are caught violating local ordinances, State, and Federal laws by local Police and/or Sheriffs may have the alleged violation referred to Longwood's disciplinary system as well as the local court. More information about this agreement is in the Student Handbook.

Some examples of Longwood conduct standards applicable off-campus include:

Illegal Possession/Use of Weapons or Explosives
Possession/Distribution of Drugs
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Sexual Misconduct
Hazing
Noise
Alcohol (State Laws and/or Longwood Policies)
Violence to Persons or Attempted Violence/Abuse to Persons
Property (Damaging, Vandalizing, or Tampering)
Obscene or Indecent Behavior
Physical Well-Being
Littering
Student Rights and Privileges (interfering with another student's rights as outlined in the Handbook)
Stealing
Lying
Possessing/Using a False Identification

It is important to remember "Citizen Leadership" doesn't stop at the border of campus: it means being a good citizen and community member both on campus and in the local community. Poor judgment/behavior off-campus by even one person reflects on all of us who work and study here at Longwood.

Why do I have to go to a Hearing?

A complaint has been filed against you; possibly by another student, a staff member, faculty member, or member of the community. In order for the complaint to be resolved, you should attend the hearing. It will not be held against you if you do not go, but it is to your advantage to attend.

What are my rights?

A Hearing is not a Court of Law. The systems are run differently, and you do not have the same procedural rights you might have in a court situation. Nevertheless, you are guaranteed your Constitutional right to "Due Process".

Your basic due process rights are:

A presumption of innocence unless found responsible
Written notice of charges lodged against you.
An opportunity to review disciplinary procedures with the Director of Honor and Judicial Programs prior to the hearing.
The opportunity to examine any evidence.
The opportunity to attend a hearing.
The opportunity to appeal the results of the hearing if they are not in your favor.

You have other procedural rights that can be found in the Student Handbook.

What are the major differences between a Hearing and a Court Trial?

1) Unlike the court system, colleges are not required to hold to the standard of "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt". The courts have realized that this standard is impractical for college disciplinary hearings, and believe that the question of a student's responsibility for violating behavioral regulations may be set to a lower standard. Longwood University uses the standard of "A Preponderance of the Evidence".

2) Hearings are closed. By law, no spectators, character witnesses, or other unnecessary people are allowed in the room.

3) College and University Hearings are not required to follow Federal Rules of Evidence, nor follow courtroom procedure.

4) Colleges and Universities may restrict the participation of legal counsel in hearings. Longwood Students are allowed to bring a lawyer to a Hearing. In this instance, however, the role of counsel is restricted to consultation only.

Specific Hearing Procedures can be found in the Student Handbook.

How do I prepare for the Hearing?

To start with, read the Student Handbook. Make an appointment with the Director of Honor and Judicial Programs to review your case and ask questions. Think about the situation and what happened--write down your thoughts. If you have witnesses, make sure you let them know when and where the hearing is. If you are the Respondent; decide how you want to plead in the Hearing.

What will happen during the Hearing?

Follow this Link

My Hearing is with the Judicial Board. What is that?

Follow this link.

My Hearing is with the Honor Board. What is that?

Follow this link.

My Hearing with a REC. Who is that?

Residence Education Coordinators (REC's) are the full-time, live-in staff members in the residence halls. They typically see first time offenses of the Conduct Code. They may issue sanctions up to Disciplinary Probation. More information is in the Student Handbook.

My Hearing is with an Administrator. Who is that?

Administrative Hearing Officers are staff members in the Department of Student Affairs. They hear cases where there are special circumstances related to the students involved, the nature of the incident, time of the semester, etc. They may issue sanctions up to Dismissal. Students must agree to have their case heard by an Administrative Hearing officer, except if the charge is failure to complete a previous sanction. More information is in the Student Handbook.

My Hearing is with University Disciplinary Board. What is that?

The University Disciplinary Board (UDB) is composed of two faculty, two staff, and two students. The UDB hears very serious and or confidential cases, and may issue sanctions up to Permanent Dismissal. More information is in the Student Handbook.

My Fraternity/ Sorority has a hearing with the Greek Judicial Board. What is that?

The Greek Judicial Board hears cases of alleged group and organization violations of the Greek Code of Conduct. The members are representatives chosen from each Greek organization. They meet on an as-needed basis, usually on a Thursday night at 7:00 PM. More information is in the Student Handbook.

My club has a hearing with the Student Arbitration Board. What is that?

The Student Arbitration Board hears cases of alleged group and organization violations of the Honor Code and Code of Conduct. The members are two representatives from the Student Government Association, two representatives from the Honor Board, and two representatives from the Judicial Board. They meet on an as-needed basis, usually on a Thursday night at 7:00 PM. More information is in the Student Handbook.

Will my parents find out?

If you have been found responsible for an alcohol or drug violation, your parents/guardians will be notified of the violation. Your parents/guardians normally will not receive information on any other type of violation, although it is a very good idea for you to tell them and talk about what happened. In most situations, you must sign a release form for your parents to allow them access to your disciplinary records. More information is in the Student Handbook.

I don't agree with the results of my Hearing; what can I do?

Respondents can appeal the results of a hearing for only three reasons:

Your due process rights were violated;
There is new evidence that you were not able to present at the hearing;
The sanction you received is too harsh considering what you did.

You have ten (10) business days from when you receive your letter from the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs to file an appeal application. Your application must meet at least one of the three criteria to even be considered. Remember, an appeal is not a rehearing of your case! The appeal board or officer will make a decision on the information you present in your application. You may be called for an interview, but no other witnesses or testimony will be heard. Application forms are found here, and more information about appeals is in the Student Handbook.

My question isn't here!

Check the Student Handbook, or call the Office of Honor and Judicial Programs at ext. 2490